New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11
POETRY.
A POET: AND A RYMER.

UNDERWORLD BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. lomo'
DIP. w., 1873. Charles Scribnsrs sons.
THE AporHEosrs OF ANrLSoUs. and other poems
nv ELLA SHARPE YoUSGs crown oFo' PIP -i''
london Kegsn Paul, Trench X Co.
Probably Mr.. Stevenson never publishes book
without making n friend. lie is one of those rare
authors for whom one insunctively feels q
personal liking; we can hardly rad him without
wishing 10 make his acquaintance. ms at
Effectiveness proves the possession OF some beau'-
full qualitlcs-of sincerity, sympathy seh-ioreeV
fulness, sensibility, and also, we THINK % just
balance OF the emotional and rational Impulses
All these notes are conspicuous In MS verse;
together with q cheerful. hopeful contented humor'
Ind q playfulness which finds an especially de-
hghtful expression in tho department OF the vol
umc devoted TO Scottish dialect pieces upon
these poems he seems to have expended mos,
afIcctionate rains, and the result Is not only an
interesting study in the resources OF what DC
loves as an "illustrous and maileable tongue ouo
an excellent set OF character sketches In wh'ch
there is a great deal more of the Scot than merely
the language The clear colorlng ana suggestive
ness OF that bright and brisk bit of Description
~ Iowlen Sabbath NORM and the serious
drollery of "The Scotsmans Return from Abroad
Will lie MT once appreciated; low much such
pieces embody OF the national spirit may not
poems In English" will be drawn first by the
beauty of the STYLE That Is natural in CONSTRUCTION
varied and musical Tho choice of language is
remarkably apt, and the authors felicity In
avoiding commonplace phrases without verbal
afYecta,ions or far sought cpithets is as distln-
Cuished in his verse as in his prose. His metres
are simple, his expression is direct. his sentiment
is clear Like most OF the poets OF our day he is
fond of describing natnral objects and Celebrating
bits OF landscape; but with him this pracuce Is
not, as it l. with inferior artists, an exercise IN
observing and cataloguing material things ana
appearances he writes OF the seashore, The hills'
and the moor because he loves them, and they
stir in him some emotion which calls for the poet'-
cal voice. There is charming example or THIS
way of feeling nature in "'Ihe House Beautiful"
the lesson of which is that beauty may be found
everywhere:
To mako this earth, our hermitage
A cheerful and q changeful page.
Gods bright and intricate device
OF DAYS and seasons doth suffice.
Here the expression is not irreproachable, Tor
hermitage is not page; but this blemish may
pass. While the poem Is pictorial In almost
every line, we feel that the value OF the picture
is far more in the suggested emotion than in the
fine and vivid drawing. Mr. Stevenson has no
taStc LOT pretending w hehNVi P"'~
celebrates his friendship with grace and tender
ness. and IL is often in this congenal employment
that his fancy takes its highest flights and fas-
cinates us with its ARREST movement The modesS
title OF the volume Is disclaimer Of any cxtrava-
CANT pretensions for his verse. His prose Is In
deed more imaginative than his poetry. But this
underwood which has grown under the shade OF
his larger product has its own place and Its
own loneliness.
The conception Of the lyrical drama which forms
the principal part OF Miss YounSss
volume is bold one, and it oners
the poet some admirable situations
The scnlrtor Amphion. ambitious to produce
statue of manly perfection, is enabled by super
natural aid 20 turn the beautiful youth Antinous
to stone; but failing even then to copy In marble
the loneliness OF his model, he refuses to release
the victim OF his spells, and presents to the
Athenians this pctrfed man, bloodlcss, immova-
bic but sui senticnt and suffering is the actual
work of his chisel. Ampbion has been false to
art, which is nscparable from truth. His ambi-
ton is not an aspiration toward high achieve
ment. hut selfish desire for personal glory.
II is exhibited In the course OF the drama
dcbssing the character and bunting every humane
feeling. In the intoxcation of graufied vanity
the sculptor ut last loses his balance Of mind
and unwittngly performs the charm which reveals
his infamy and restores Antinous TO life. Miss
Youngs has told this story with many picturesque
effects, and In some passages with force. She is
str, INCEST in dealing with the violent emotions